The Diablo III Website has the first of the promised updates on the upcoming version 1.04 patch for Diablo III, which they say "is still a few weeks away," though they later specify the fourth week of August. The post gives an overview of things they are changing, including removing the averaging of gold find for a group, shrinking the gap between normal monsters and Elite packs (making normals less of a joke and elites less of a nightmare), dealing with some of the more difficult affixes, addressing the insanely small chance of finding anything useful, making two-handed weapons viable, getting rid of enrage timers, improving future legendary items, and finding ways to make some unused skills more useful and/or appealing. Here's the summary:

These are really just a few of the topline systems changes we’ll be making in 1.0.4, and we hope you’re looking forward to them as much as we are. We’ll of course have a lot more info coming at you in the weeks ahead on Legendary items, classes and more, as well as some interviews we’ll be holding shortly before the patch goes live – which, by the way, is currently targeted for the fourth week of August.

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You come on this board, in this space, and claim to be enjoying yourself in a game that we don't approve of? Fuck you. Fuck everything you stand for. This game didn't meet the expectations of the thin edge of the wedge, and for that, it's a failure. Despite the fact that it set record sales, and despite the fact that enough people are still playing to bitch in an epic fashion, you're WRONG WRONG WRONG.

And you're a horrible person for having a good time with it, you filthy fucking casual. Your entertainment is invalid. Your joy? Non-existant. From now on you'd better fucking check in with us on how to feel before you feel it, lest you post something here that we don't like. THEN... THEN you will see what a stern talking to really is.

Duh. Way to oversimplify it.

I like my steel swords; I'm a bit of a collector, but there aren't many craftsmen who make them any more; lately more and more people are getting into swordfighting and are taking preference to wooden swords which are easier to start with and more suited to casual bouts. I'm happy for them because swordfighting is gaining popularity and they are enjoying a fine sport and honing their swordsmanship. Hell, every now and then I use a wooden sword just for the change and its refreshing.

But what is starting to happen is that now its very hard to find a craftsman making new steel swords; since the majority of the new generation of swordfighters are quite content with wooden swords, the demand for wooden swords has skyrocketed. Its quite possible that later they prefer steel swords (if there are any left to find) as they experiment a bit. Who knows?

I dont judge them; my preference is simply for steel swords. Even if I try to get a new steel sword made, the craftsmen are using wooden parts as part of the structure, at first it was just the hilt, but now a blade itself which merely has a steel wire running through is sold as a steel sword; it has become very hard to find a place to get a new one made in the old style, which was once very popular but now seems to be dying.

Of course I feel a bit frustrated; But its not fair to blame the new generation that prefer wooden swords (for a lot of them its all they know). Who can I blame?

Of the steel swordfighhters and collectors, many have quit. Others have let their frustrations show. Most are quietly waiting, clinging on to the few craftsmen they can trust to not add wood to steel; hoping for a resurgence of steel.